EYEWITNESS: How Moscow views that ‘reunited brotherhood’ with Crimea in practice

By Maxim Mireyev
06.06.2014
Translated by William Risch and edited by Voices of Ukraine

A former classmate from the Printers’ Academy, a rock-solid “Crimea is Ours!” supporter, has sent me a repentant letter from Moscow via Vkontakte [Russian social network site]:

“Max, I came to Moscow, and I can’t find work; everyone sends me off.

I tell them: ‘I’m from Crimea!’ (Thus I imagine him with his arms open wide – like, ‘Well, love me!’)

They tell me: ‘Another moocher’s come here. We’re feeding you over there in Crimea, so why did you show up here?’

He says: ‘Because I’m Russian. Now we’re together!’

They tell him: ‘You were a khokhol [derogatory term for a Ukrainian] then, and you’re still a khokhol now. For starters, get rid of that peasant huh-ing of yours [pronouncing the “g” as an “h” in the Russian language].’